Tesco takes on seven Somerfield stores

Tesco has bought seven stores from Somerfield.The deal is not thought to affect shareholders' plans to sell the Somerfield chain as a block of 900 stores rather than in smaller chunks. The group, which is currently on the market for £2.5bn, said the move was in line with its policy of disposing of stores which were "not aligned with its overall strategic objectives".It did not reveal where the seven stores were, but they are understood to include Shetland and the Orkney islands.Last week Somerfield reported a like-for-like sales increase of 6.4% in the 12-week run-up to Easter.